清明節是中國最重要的節日之一，在農曆冬至後的第105日。它也被稱為掃墓節。顧名思義，它是清理祖墳的日子。大多數墓地都是遠離城市或位於山坡上，茂盛的草叢在一年中已經長成了，故此，每年都必需清理這些雜亂的野草。此外，祭祀祖先的祭品都放置在墓陵前，通常是一些水果，肉類，葡萄酒之類，還有年糕，麵餅，金銀紙錢，蠟燭等。家庭祈禱紙“鬼錢”也收集起來被燒毀。

另一個重要的清明節傳統是在墳墓上放置橙色的金紙。人們認為墳墓是死者靈魂居住的地方，放置或粘貼‘壓墓紙’在墓碑上相當於把房子的屋頂翻新。通常是用小石頭按住紙張或粘貼在墓前，使它們不會被風吹走。儀式結束後，掃墓者都吃一些貝殼類而把其殼子留在墳墓前，以象徵祖先雖然已過世，家庭生活仍然是持久的一代又一代。

傳統上，建設一座墳墓時，會另設一塊石碑雕刻上兩個中文字符的“后土” （后土），將其設立在墳墓前側，代表土地公。后土是地球的神。土地公通常也被稱為'土神'。在中國傳說中，后土是遠古時代（社，地球）的神。由於死的人都埋葬在泥土裡， ‘后土’土地公就成為墓葬的守護神。在清明時節掃墓時，家庭都會準備另一套祭品，包括動物牲品，蠟燭，溪錢，金紙等，以感謝他的保護和守衛墳墓。

最後，謝謝你的細心閲讀。

Mary 姐
11.4.2012

Tomb-sweeping Festival, which falls on the 105th day from last winter solstice in the Lunar Year, is one of the most important festivals in China. It is also known as Clearness and Brightness festival (清明節). As the name shows, it is the day for cleaning up ancestral tombs. Graveyards are located on hillsides away from the city, and grass is often allowed to grow luxuriantly for most of the year. It's therefore necessary to cut it all down at yearly intervals. In addition, offering of sacrifices to ancestors are placed in front of tombs - typically fruit, meat, wine, along with the rice cakes, flour cakes, different types of the grave paper money, candles and so on. Then the family gather to pray while paper 'ghost money' is being burned.

Another important Tomb-sweeping Day tradition is the placing of paper on the tombs. The people believe the tomb to be the residing place of the deceased's spirit, and placing the ‘Yamu Paper 壓墓紙’ on the tombs is equivalent to putting new tiles on the roof of a house. The paper is held down with small stones or pasted on the up-front of the tomb so that the paper will not be swept away by the wind.

After the offering ceremony, some boiled shells are then eaten and the shells are left on the graves to symbolize that though the ancestors had passed away, the family life is still lasting from generation to generation.

Traditionally, when building a grave, a stone stele craved with two Chinese characters ‘后土’(Hou Tu). would be set up besides or in front of the grave to represent the Earth God. Hou Tu is the Earth God. The Earth God is also commonly called ‘Tu Sen’ . Hou Tu was the God of She (社,the Earth) in ancient times. Since dead people are buried in the earth, Hou Tu, the Earth God, has become the patron god of the tombs. When visiting graves on the Tomb Sweeping Festival, families would prepare another set of offerings including animal sacrifices, candles and paper money for Hou Tu to give thanks for His protecting and guarding the graves.

Thanks for your perusal.

Mary

11.4.2012